Welcome to “Where to Start”! As always, we’ll be guiding you through the back catalogue of established bands - both obscure and relatively well known - and covering their best, worst and most middling cuts. We’ll be dividing the bands’ output into five categories: Start Here, Follow Up, Try This, For Fans Only and Avoid. This month: Hüsker Dü.
The unfortunate recent passing of Grant Hart earlier this month certainly has reminded everyone of the important legacy of his former band, Hüsker Dü. Along with Bob Mould and Greg Norton the trio were instrumental in the creation of what we now know as alternative rock. Birthed in 1979 within the American hardcore punk scene, the Minnesota band at first established themselves as one of the fastest and more intense punk acts of the time. After releasing various singles, the live album ‘Land Speed Record’ and their debut LP ‘Everything Falls Apart’ via Reflex Records by 1983, their first “true birth” was through their SST Records debut, the EP ‘Metal Circus’. It saw the beginnings of them incorporating melody and slower sections into their craft, elements that would start to blossom in Hüsker Dü’s subsequent albums.
And blossom they did. In the space of two years, from 1984 to 1985, across three albums, including ‘Zen Arcade’, ‘New Day Rising’, and ‘Flip Your Wig’, Hüsker Dü took their hardcore punk roots and moulded them with classic rock and ’60s pop aesthetics, creating a style that was both anthemic and relatable. Towards the end of 1985, major label Warner Bros. Records had caught wind of the band’s growing popularity, particularly amongst the indie and college rock fanbase. Initially, the label had wanted to release ‘Flip Your Wig’, but out of loyalty the trio decided to release it under SST. Following this, the band signed to Warner Bros. out of an awareness of their growing popularity and the sealed promise of creative freedom. This led to them releasing ‘Candy Apple Grey’ in 1986, which stylistically saw them further morph into a melodically anthemic alt rock group.
Yet, the beginning of the end was starting to rear its head. The creative and personal tensions between Hart and Mould would reach breaking point following the release of their final album, 1987’s ‘Warehouse: Songs and Stories’, as well as the tragic suicide of their manager David Savoy. By 1988 the trio had gone their separate ways, taking new musical directions. As well as a solo career, Mould would also form Sugar in the early 90s, whilst Hart also went on pursuing his own solo career and fronting 90s alt rockers Nova Mob. As for Norton, after following band Grey Area disbanded in 1991, he focused on being a restauranteur, before returning to music in 2006 with Gang Font feat. Interloper, and, more recently, from 2016, as the bassist for Porcupine.
As mentioned in the first paragraph, it cannot be understated how much of an important role Hüsker Dü played in shaping and inspiring over the last thirty years of alternative music. If you’re familiar with them, then re-familiarise yourself. If not, then get to know one of the greatest bands through this very guide!
Start Here: ‘Zen Arcade’
The phrase “pushing the boundaries” couldn’t be more applicable when describing Hüsker Dü’s seminal 1984 sophomore LP. From the moment Greg Norton’s melodically propelled bass pulls you in, with the drums and guitar following behind, on opener ‘Something I Learned Today’, you realise that, compared to the record’s contemporaries of the time, you’re embracing hardcore punk that is sonically grander in scope. With ‘Zen Arcade’, Hüsker Dü were one of the first bands in the American hardcore punk scene to mesh new elements and styles with the genre, something that was previously unheard of at the time.
Whether it was the bitter folk of ‘Never Talking to You Again’, the piano interludes ‘One Step at a Time’ and ‘Monday Will Never Be the Same’, or the psychedelically enamoured ‘Hare Krsna’ and dream like ‘The Tooth Fairy and the Princess’, Hüsker Dü confidently proved that a hardcore band could be so much more musically than the usual fast, angry and loud formula. As well as diverging to other styles, the trio injected the more traditionally structured hardcore and punk songs with added flavours.
The wanderlust plagued ‘Chartered Trips’ and sonically driven ‘Whatever’ are brimming with emotive melodies that hook you right in, the former featuring a blissfully hopeful riff which clings to such desperate yearning. Some of the more rage filled numbers even dabble in expanding stylistic horizons. ‘What’s Going On’, which features Black Flag alumni Dez Cadena, borderlines on noise and jazz, whilst ‘Beyond the Threshold’ plays with shifting vocal dynamics, from subdued weariness to spiteful rage. Further along we begin to see the band’s love of 60s pop and rock ‘n’ roll creep in. For instance, Grant Hart led tracks ‘Standing by the Sea’, ‘Somewhere’ and ‘Pink Turns to Blue’ have an underlying melodious sheen below the gritty exterior. Then there’s the Mould led ‘Newest Industry’, which is riddled with piano keys, that dance amongst the trio’s daringly delivered punk.
The key ingredient to what makes ‘Zen Arcade’ truly tick is the raw emotive power it has. This is due in part to the fact that the majority of the songs, besides the opener and ‘Newest Industry’, were recorded in one take. The effect of such stirring energy is further impacted upon by the fact that, narratively, the record has a conceptual story arc to it. The tale involves a young man who flees his abusive home and goes on a journey. Along the way he joins the army, finds religion, seeks and loses love, and concludes that the world outside is just as bad, if not worse, than his previous circumstances. Through much despair and turmoil, he eventually wakes up to discover it was a night of troubled sleep and that life’s challenges still lie in wait for him. All in all, long before Defeater, Hüsker Dü were the first group to create a hardcore punk style orchestra.
This combination of cathartic delivery and conceptual songwriting adds weight to the impact the listener endures. Whether it’s the alienating isolationism of ‘Broken Home, Broken Heart’, the furious disappointed rage of ‘Pride’ and ‘I’ll Never Forget You’, or the despairing loss felt in ‘Pink Turns to Blue’, this record sonically hits you right to the core. By ‘Zen Arcade”s end, as you’re engulfed by the conscious expanding noise of ‘Reoccurring Dreams’, you may want to examine your head, because it’ll probably have been blown out by inspiration.
Follow Up: ‘Flip Your Wig’
A large portion of the fanbase would usually recommend following up ‘Zen Arcade’ with ‘New Day Rising’. However, as we’ll explain in this section and the following, we’ve chosen the band’s 1985 fourth album, ‘Flip Your Wig’. When it came for the band to record the LP, they decided to self produce for the first time, instead of using in house SST Records producer Spot. Compared to their previous records, the trio took their time with it, bettering and expanding their existing strengths. This resulted in a powerpop gem brimming with sincerity, anthemic heights and fire fuelled gusto.
Up to this point, the production saw the band sounding their cleanest, yet it didn’t sacrifice the raw human delivery they excelled at. Hart’s drumming was as hard hitting and on point as ever, Norton’s bass was a warm, welcoming foundation, and Mould’s guitar playing was a textured blend of melody and grit. From the very start, as the call and response title track briskly takes you away, a wash of anthemic pop channeled through punk takes hold. From the heart pumping desire in ‘Every Everything’ to the pure pop goodness of ‘Makes No Sense At All’, on this record the band’s admiration for ’60s pop aesthetics co-operates seamlessly with their punk roots. In many ways, this was one of the first true alternative rock records.
This was a natural progression from the band’s previous records, as the melody is by and large the beating center of the record. However, as mentioned, it doesn’t completely overshadow the grit. For instance; the charming Grant led love song that is ‘Green Eyes’ has the same passion and fire as the faster blast to the gut of the Mould led ‘Divide and Conquer’. We’re admittedly repeating ourselves with this point, the equal marriage of elements, but that’s how good this record is.
When we reach the slide whistle interlude of ‘The Baby Song’, a time to breathe from this hit after hit volley is granted. Some might say that this odd tune breaks up the flow, yet in our opinion it allows what has happened to be processed in all its glory. Following this is a holy trinity of ecstatic songs kicked off by the pleasing ebb and flow of ‘Flexible Flyer’. Next is the neo-psychedelic influenced rush of ‘Private Plane’, which shows off Mould’s unapologetic, relentless skills as a guitarist. Finally, there’s ‘Keep Hanging On’, a mid tempo that rises and bursts from fits of yearning anger that stems from Grant Hart’s delivery. It is a bittersweet song to listen to, considering the recent passing of the talented drummer, yet it is optimistically hopeful in all its glory.
Closing out ‘Flip Your Wig’ is the offbeat choice of two instrumentals; ‘The Wit and the Wisdom’ and ‘Don’t Know Yet’. They come off as somewhat disruptive to the album’s overall flow, but after few more listens, they start to make sense. The former is tense and spiteful, whilst the latter is humble and whimsical, yet they’re both complimentary contemplative pieces of reflection securing the album with a fulfilling landing.
Try This: ‘New Day Rising’
Following up a landmark record like ‘Zen Arcade’ would’ve been no easy task for the average band, but Hüsker Dü managed to expand upon the ideas of that record in a powerfully sonic way through 1985’s ‘New Day Rising’. The emotive combination of chaos and melody certainly took the band to new heights. The trio deliver a jet propelled opening via the title track, which astoundingly blasts through at light speed, leaving both destruction and harmony in its wake. From there, the band open the listener to their brand of post hardcore pop that takes them through a journey of light and dark.
The fraught temperament of ‘Girl Who Lives On Heaven Hill’, upon which Grant Hart yowls through the shimmering noise punk, seamlessly contrasts to the woeful heart-on-sleeve semantics of Mould’s ‘I Apologize’. This difference can be summed by the fact that Hart’s tracks are optimistic, vigorous and free, whilst Bob Mould conjures up a sense of disparagement; hopeful feelings trying to escape the darkness. All in all, it makes for a record that is thematically grey in its philosophy.
As well as the interesting themes, it is worth talking about the bands musical progression. With ‘New Day Rising’, not only did they continue to blend ’60s pop melody with punk fury, they also injected additional slower and more mid tempo elements to their craft. For example, ‘Folk Lore’ sees slowed down verses shifting to loud pedantic choruses, whilst ‘Perfect Example’ has a dazzling array of lo-fi intricacies. Then there’s the delightful piano tinkering whimsy of ‘Books About UFOs’. However, the most effective moment in regards to such musicality comes in the form of the unexpected acoustic section in ‘Celebrated Summer’. It is a welcome fragile juncture within a song that is full of beautiful turmoil, both lyrically and musically.
For all of the praise we have given it, we should probably address why we’ve placed it below ‘Flip Your Wig’, especially as most fans consider it to be the better record. Well, it’s primarily down to the production. For context, the band originally wanted to produce the record themselves. However, their label, SST Records, insisted that they use in house producer Spot, who had engineered the majority of the label’s releases. This led to a rather tense recording process. Upon listening to it, ‘New Day Rising”s production values do feel somewhat rushed, and it is occasionally hard for the average newcomer to pick out the melodies. Yet, in some ways, this sort of benefits the record’s delivery. Songs like ’59 Times the Pain’ and ‘If I Told You’profit from this unyielding blend of noise and melody, light and dark, fighting it out in a tumultuous space. It further adds to the skills and quality of a band who were instrumental in shaping the alternative rock landscape.
For Fans Only: ‘Warehouse: Songs and Stories’
When it came to considering the album that is the middling cut of Hüsker Dü’s discography, it was a toss up between both their major label efforts; 1986’s ‘Candy Apple Grey’ and 1987’s ‘Warehouse: Songs and Stories’. For what it’s worth, the former is slightly more consistent in its delivery, especially since it contains two of the band’s best songs in ‘Don’t Want to Know If You Are Lonely’ and ‘Sorry Somehow’. Thus we are left with the latter, which was the band’s final album before their tense break up in 1988.
Casually described as “the battle of the songwriters”, the creative tensions between primary songwriters Bob Mould and Grant Hart had come to a head during this double album’s creation. This clearly shows in the product itself, as there is a muddled mix of great songs and forgettable filler. The likes of ‘Ice Cold Ice’, ‘Could You Be the One?’, ‘You’re a Soldier’ and ‘She’s a Woman (And Now He Is a Man)’ show the band at their very best. These are songs that show off the pure anthemic pop influenced alt rock, full of gusto and harmonies that we’re familiar with. Then there’s the rest of the material, which is filler to the core. Songs such as ‘Bed of Nails’ and ‘She Floated Away’, are wavering ideas that don’t blossom into their true selves. In many ways, ‘Warehouse’ suffers from the dreaded curse of the double album that few records of its kind can escape. One half is the trio at their most masterful, the other comes off as a mere whimper. A miscalculated and mumbled final hurrah from a great band.
Avoid: ‘Everything Falls Apart’
On the surface, the Minnesota trio’s 1983 debut album is a typical early ’80s hardcore punk record. It’s uncompromisingly raw, unapologetically loud and fast, like a punch to the stomach. Songs like ‘From the Gut’, ‘Punch Drunk’ and ‘Afraid of Being Wrong’ testify to this without question. In some ways, amongst the gang vocals and humorous delivery, it does sound like a completely different band. Yet, if you pay enough attention, these tracks show the bare bones and clues to what the band would eventually become.
Hart’s hard hitting drums, Norton’s slick rapid fire bass lines and Mould’s electrifying guitar playing are evident, yet at an “infant stage” of what they were capable of. Then, there are songs like the title track and ‘Gravity’ which hint at the band’s potential ambition. The former has a particularly creeping, melodic and elevating tone to it. It should also be mentioned that the band’s cover of Donovan’s ‘Sunshine Superman’, a musician who is associated with ’60s psychedelia, pop and jazz, showed that the band were fans of such styles, which would be pivotal to future releases.
For all the potential and intriguing insight into their early beginnings, compared to the succeeding records, ‘Everything Falls Apart’ is simply solid, yet forgettable at best. This is underlined further by the fact that the record’s replay value is somewhat squandered by the dated production quality. It wouldn’t be until follow up EP ‘Metal Circus’ where the band’s true potential would finally begin to blossom.
The influence that Hüsker Dü had as one of the key acts in shaping over the next 30 years of alternative music is undeniable. The renowned likes of Foo Fighters, Green Day, the Pixies, and Dinosaur Jr. took inspiration from this group in such a big way that they may not have existed without them. The Minnesota trio were one of the first to take hardcore punk outside of its confines, blending it with elements of pop and melody in the most profound way possible. The myriad of alt/punk sub genres we know today, including indie, emo, and post hardcore, owe a lot to what this band crafted in their 9 year career. We could tie their legacy to their very namesake; “hüsker dü” was named after a Danish board game, where its translation means “do you remember?”. In this case, we remember Hüsker Dü’s legacy as a vitally important one, and you should too.